Sam Macaluso

With over 35 years of experience in Operational Improvement Leadership, Sam is a qualified Industrial Engineer, Advanced Manufacturing Manager and a Workplace Trainer and Assessor. Sam’s focus has always addressed the improvement of the overall business performance of an enterprise in the key result areas of Customer Satisfaction, Employee Satisfaction, and Stakeholder Satisfaction. With heavy emphasis on Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement, Sam spent over 20 years in the global metals business, playing a leading role in developing Lean systems. Starting his Lean journey in 1987, Sam led a workforce of over 1000 through Lean training and application through a team and project structure. This approach grew to an international rollout during the 1990s and 2000s.

Sam was part of a small team selected to co-ordinate a national program targeted at small to medium-sized businesses. A strong Lean approach was used as the basis to help improve overall business performance. This approach became the foundation to the training program now known as Competitive Systems and Practices. There have been many highlights in his achievements, be it cycle time reduction, waste elimination, standardized work, but his greatest achievements are based on the pride he has when a shop floor team present their achievements to their peers, superiors and, sometimes, their family members. That’s when he feels he has done his job.

Sam was instrumental in starting the Lean training arm of some major training organisations. The training led to certificate and diploma level accreditation for employees and management at all levels of businesses.

Sam has coached over 6000 participants and worked with over 200 organisations to improve Lean concepts over the past 15 years. These businesses include TNT, Weir Minerals, Liquip, Westrac, Visy, Alcoa, Rio, 3M, Diageo, and both the NSW Government and Federal Government. Sam has developed all his training materials, including fun activities, which drive home the power of a Lean enterprise. Sam has also developed a very effective and transformational Lean audit which can be used as a stand-alone process to gauge the Lean maturity and journey of any business. Sam is one of Australia's leading Lean experts.